Shoe clip



P 19, 1961 A. HANFLIG 3,000,067

SHOE CLIP Filed March 9, 1959 INVENTOR. ALAN HANFLIG United StatesPatent 3,000,067 SHOE CLIP Alan Hanflig, 36 Patricia Lane, Syosset, N.Y.Filed Mar. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 798,079 4 Claims. (Cl. 24-87) Thisinvention relates to shoe clipping devices. In particular it relates toa novel device for coupling a pair of shoes together for sale on displaytables and the like.

Inasmuch as the self-service shoe department has become an importantpart of retail shoe distribution there has been need for a satisfactorydevice to couple a pair of shoes together so that the customer can tryon the shoes himself without separating the pair.

The method used as present for tying a pair of shoes together for thispurpose involves using a metal hook to cut a hole through the side ofeach shoe, threading through a piece of string and then tying anexterior knot on each shoe. In addition to the unsightly sizable holesmade by this method, it is time-consuming and difiicult. The highestrate of speed by a skilled person in tying 1pairs of shoes is usuallyabout thirty pairs of shoes an our.

One object of the present invention is to provide a quick andinexpensive method for coupling together a pair of shoes which will notdamage the shoe in any noticeable manner.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent fromthe specification and claims which follow and from the appended drawingsin which FIGURE 1 is a top view of the blank used to form one embodimentof this invention;

FIGURE 2 shows the blank of FIGURE 1 in attached position to a string;

FIGURE 3 shows a side view of the device just prior to attachment to ashoe;

FIGURE 4 illustrates a complete device just before the final step of theattachment to the shoe; and

FIGURE 5 shows the device attached to and coupling a pair of shoes.

The invention comprises a flexible line terminating at each end in ametal clip. Each clip is made of a unitary strip of thin metal having atone end a bendable pointed tongue and at the opposite end a receivingportion containing a perforation which is engageable with said tongue.Intermediate to the tongue and receiving portions is a bendable neckportion and a means for attaching the flexible line to the clip.

A preferred means of clamping the line to the clip comprises lateralprojections for the intermediate portion of the metal strip which can befolded over toward one another against the strip to hold the end of thestring. In addition, a second perforation is preferably provided in theintermediate portion to receive and conceal the tongue point which hasextended through the orifice in the receiving section.

One preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in thedrawings. A strip of thin flexible metal is stamped in the form of ablank as illustrated in FIGURE 1. The blank has a pointed tongue sectionabutting the string clamping section 11. Clamping section 11 abuts theneck portion 14 which in turn abuts the receiving portion 12. Clampingsection 11 has a pair of lateral projections 13 of about one half thewidth of the neck portion and these projections 13 are foldable alonglongitudinal folds 13A towards one another so as to clinch and hold theend of the string 15. An orifice 12A is provided in the receivingportion 12, the size of the orifice Patented Sept. 19, 1961 "ice beingintermediate to the tapering widths of the tongue 10. A second orifice14A is provided in the neck 14.

The strip is then folded transversely on neck fold 13B and tongue fold13C. Each clip is then hung by the neck fold 13B on the side wall of ashoe 16 and the tongue 10 is caused by a slight pressure on the clampingsection 11 to pierce the shoe wall, engage the orifice 12A, and bendflat. The tongue 10 is then locked into orifice 14A primarily to preventan exposed sharp point, although it holds sufficiently by bendingthrough orifice 12A.

Shoes can be tied together in this manner by an unskilled person at overpairs an hour or more than four times as fast as possible withpreviously described methods. Further, the thin puncture made by thetongue is barely discernible at all and is self-sealing when the clip isremoved.

While the preferred embodiments of my invention have been described indetail, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to theparticular construction set forth, since various changes in the form,proportions and arrangement of parts, and in the detail of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention, or destroying any of the advantages contained in the same,heretofore described and defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A detachable clipping device for tying together a pair of shoes,comprising a flexible line terminating at each end in a bendable metalclip; each said clip comprising a unitary thin flat strip of metalhaving on one end a receiving end containing a perforation, on its otherend a bendable pointed tongue, and an elongated bendable section and aline clamping section intermediate said tongue and receiving ends; eachend of said line terminating in a said clamping section, said tonguebeing adapted to be bent adjacent one end of said line clamping section,said bendable section being adapted to be bent adjacent the other end ofsaid line clamping section, said bent tongue being in operativeengagement with said perforation.

"2. The device of claim 1 wherein the line clamping section compriseslateral projections foldable towards one another onto the intermediatesection.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein there is provided a second orificebetween said clamping section and said perforation for engagement withthe point of said tongue.

4. A detachable clipping device for tying together a pair of shoescomprising a flexible line terminating at each end in a metal clip, eachsaid clip comprising a unitary flat thin bendable strip of metal havinga pointed tongue on one end, a perforated tongue receiving portion onthe other end, and an intermediate neck portion positioned between saidtongue and said orifice, said neck portion having opposing bendablelateral longitudinal projections adjacent said tongue and a perforatedtongue point receiving section adjacent said tongue receiving portion,said projections being adapted to be bent towards each other to firmlyclamp one end of said line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS255,480 Webb Mar. 28, 1882 1,639,226 Haines Aug. 16, 1927 2,091,529Seiifert Aug. 31, 1937 2,097,877 Getmansky Nov. 2, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS1,614 Great Britain Apr. 25, 1877

